Only two of my Hammerless guns are pre 1900, and only one of them, 88490, a Titanic Barreled CH, has the K in lieu of a barrel steel marking. All of my hammer guns are marked with the material designation, and no K or Kf.

Here is mine
 

102399,VH 20 gauge, ordered February 8th 1901, shipped July 23rd 1901. The right Barrel flat marked Kf with the weight 2 15 and an X near the breach end. The left barrel flat marked PAT'D APR 11 1876. The rib is marked; Parker Brothers Makers Meriden Conn. Vulcan Steel

Are you certain the T is in a circle or does the T have a crescent above and below the T as a Twist Steel barreled gun should have?





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Well, I thought it was just a poor stamping but it does have an arc above and below. See picture

Yes Gary, that is the stamp for Twist Steel - a crescent above and a crescent below the T.





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Here is a list of many of my hammerless guns in ascending serial number order:...

57043 D (Damascus) J above 5 lb., 11oz
67669 D (") C above 3 lbs., 14oz
67772 4 above D (") C above 4 lbs., 1oz
73264 A6 above D (") 3 lbs., 7oz Left + and Right +
76084 4 above D (") C above 3 lbs., 5oz A
90739 K (no barrel steel stamp) 4 lbs., 3oz 3 (grade) Left + and Right +
142193 T in the circle 3 lbs., 6oz 3 (") W.K. in oval
147673 4 above D (") C above 3 lbs., 2oz 3 (") W.K. in oval & Yankees stamp(?)
149020 4 above D (") C above 3 lbs. 3 (")
163160 T in the circle 3 lbs., 4oz 3 (") J.G. in circle & Yankees stamp(?)
228145 HT over A, V in the circle, 2 lbs., 15oz, Overload Proved Parker Bros


So, only 90739, an 1899 gun, meets the criteria we are looking for, and it appears at probably the beginning of the Kf stamp in lieu of the steel type stamp 'era'.

I would surmise that such stamps would certainly have ended in 1910 (or before) as that is when Charles A. King stepped down from his position of Gun Works Superintendent and his son Walter King took the position.


Can anyone supply printed documentation of this having been a standard practice - that of the elimination of the barrel steel type formerly stamped on the forward part of the right barrel flat and having been replaced by C.A.K.'s 'finished' (f) inspection stamp?






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123622 1904 has the kf and barrel weight no other markings on the flats but on barrels says Vulcan Steel.

I've been studying on this for a while now.

I have recorded Vulcan Steel barrels with the Kf from 103266 to 133683. 135013 is the lowest V in a circle I've recorded.

I've recorded barrels with the Titanic Steel and Acme Steel rib legend and the K in the barrel steel location on the flat from 105974 to 146730. Lowest T in circle 151999.

ser# 100525 Kf plus barrel wt and Vulcan steel on rib.

Bill

VH 12 ga
142422 (1907)
WK
K
V
3 15
1 1/2

No other stamps!